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Official Reports-- Ship island -- Page 2 |
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HEADQUARTERS RIVER BATTERIES, March 13, 1863.
Colonel EDWARD HIGGINS,
Commanding River Batteries, Vicksburg.
COLONEL: I beg leave to submit to your consideration certain facts connected with the imprisonment by the Federal authorities in New Orleans of several non-commissioned officers and men formerly under your command at Fort Jackson, La. Their names and respective rank are as follows: Sergt. Patrick Kane, Corpl. Edward C. Smith and Private William Stanley, First Louisiana Artillery, Company B; Private Daniel Doyle, First Louisiana Artillery, Company D; Private Abraham McLane, Twenty-third Regiment Louisiana Volunteers (Allen Guards); Sergt. George L. Williams, First Louisiana Artillery Volunteers, Company E.
These men were arrested in New Orleans in May or June last under the charge of a conspiracy while they were prisoners of war on parole to recruit a company for the Confederate service. They were tried by a military commission,* found guilty and sentenced to be shot. On the appointed day they were taken our for execution, but just after the firing squad had received the last commands, "ready," "aim," an order was produced by the provost-marshal which commuted their sentence to imprisonment at hard labor on Ship Island during the pleasure of the President of the United States.
A short time before the day on which they were to be executed the men belonging to my old company (Company B) sent to request that I would come to see them. I obtained a permit from the provost-marshal and was admitted to their prison. There they told me that their trial had not been a fair one. They had no notice; no means of preparing a defense. One or two witnesses were examined by the military commission. They were asked if they had any rebutting evidence to produce, and in the face of their earnest protest were found guilty and condemned.
They were denounced by one of the traitors who had gone over to the enemy and it was chiefly on his testimony that they were condemned. They solemnly declared to me that the whole charge was a malicious fabrication; that they had never been concerned in any attempt to raise a company; that they had never in any way violated their parole. A few days ago Doctor Bradbury, who as you will remember volunteered his professional services and was with us at the fort during the bombardment, came out from New Orleans on the boat, the Cartel, which recently brought up the exchanged prisoners. He met with a gentleman who had just been released from Ship Island. While there this gentleman had frequently met our men and had brought with his a memorandum of their names to see if something could not be done for them. He stated that men were never more faithful to a cause than they are to ours. They have frequently been offered their release on the sole condition of taking the oath of allegiance to the Federal Government; and this, although with the exception of Smith they are foreigners without ties of family or interest to bind them to the Confederacy, they have steadily refused.
As to the former good character of the men from my regiment (the First Louisiana) I can bear strong testimony. Stanley was employed in the magazine on ordnance duty. Sergeant Kane was gunner on the 8-inch columbiad in the upper river bastion of Fort Jackson. Corporal Smith was stationed with Captain Robertson in the Water Battery. Doyle was head carpenter in the quartermaster's department. No men could have done their duty better, either during the long period for which we garrisoned the forts or during the fatiguing length of the bombardment. They were brave, active, willing and in the mutiny faithful among traitors.
They well deserve that efforts should be made to procure their release. This imprisonment is plainly a violation of the articles of capitulation under which we surrendered, heir trial and condemnation a flagrant instance of the many similar hollow mockers which helped disgrace General Butler's rule in New Orleans. In regard to the men belonging to the Allen Guards it will be easy to obtain from Captain S. Jones, who is at present in command of the Twenty-third Regiment Louisiana Volunteers, a statement of their character and of the points which bear upon their case.
I am, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
BEVERLY [C.] KENNEDY,
Lieutenant and Ordnance Officer, River Batteries.
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OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 2, vol 3, Part 1 (Prisoners of War) Page 634 PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, ETC.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, June 3, 1862.
Captain JONAS H. FRENCH,
Provost-Marshal, District of New Orleans.
CAPTAIN: You will suspend the execution of the sentence of death upon Abraham McLane, Daniel Doyle, Edward C. Smith, Patrick Kane, George L. Williams and William Stanley authorized by General Orders, Numbers 36, and cause them and each of them to be confined at hard labor upon the fortifications at Ship Island or the nearest military post during the pleasure of the President of the United States.
BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-General, Commanding Department.
OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 2, vol 4, Part 1 (Prisoners of War) Page 418 PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, ETC.
SPECIAL ORDERS, HDQRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF, NO. 288.
New Orleans, August 22, 1862.
Edward Le Beau having in conjunction with Edgar Le Beau against the order of the commanding general of this department destroyed arms belonging to the Confederate States for the purpose of depriving the United States of the use of the arms and having buried arms for the purpose of depriving the United States of them, are sentenced to confinement on Ship Island for the term of one year. The arms will be confiscated, and the negro boy who gave the information of the concealed arms-George Washington Walker-will be emancipated The proper act of emancipation will be made out by the provost court for that purpose.
By order of Major-General Butler:
R. S. DAVIS,
Captain and Acting Assistant Adjutant-General.
OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 2, vol 4, Part 1 (Prisoners of War) Page 303 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, July 28, 1862.
Madam Dubois having disobeyed the order of the assistant military commandant to deliver up the keys of the school-house on the corner of Robertson and Bienville streets she will be confined on Ship Island until further orders.
BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-General, Commanding.
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OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 2, vol 4, Part 1 (Prisoners of War) Page 312 PRISONERS OF WAR AND STATE, ETC.
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, July 30, 1862.
Mrs. Jane C. Beach and daughter, Mrs. Spooner, having made application for the remission of the order sending Madam Dubois to Ship Island her sentence is revoked and she may be discharged upon the express condition, however, thus: Madam Dubois shall not in any way give aid or information to the Confederate States or in any way interfere with the schools at the corner of Robertson and Bienville streets.
BENJ. F. BUTLER,
Major-General, Commanding.
OFFICIAL RECORDS: Series 2, vol 3, Part 1 (Prisoners of War) Page 619 CORRESPONDENCE, ETC. - UNION
HEADQUARTERS DEPARTMENT OF THE GULF,
New Orleans, June 1, 1862.
Brigadier General NEAL DOW, Commanding Forces at Ship Island.
GENERAL: * * * After the Robinson returns she will be at your service to go to Pass Christian. I am informed that there are men there who are interfering with Union men there. You will therefore arrest five of the principal secessionists and inhabitants of Pass Christian, including the mayor. [Take] then to Ship Island and give them and their friends distinctly to know why they are arrested, and if any of my soldiers or a Union man are disturbed or injured at Pass Christian these men will be hanged on complaint being made. If they understand this thoroughly and you execute your threat, as you must do if occasion calls, you will have no further difficulty at Pass Christian.
I have the honor to be, very respectfully, yours,
BENJ. F. BUTLER.
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